As regular readers know, I write a free, twice monthly wine column that’s distributed to newspapers across the country.

These columns are hosted by Palate Press: The Online Wine Magazine. If you don’t see my column in your local newspaper, please send an email to your paper’s editor and CC me (David – at – Terroirist.com).

In my latest column, I offer a primer on Cru Beaujolais — and explain why it’s a perfect wine for the early fall..

All wines are appropriate for all seasons. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a simple white or crisp rosé in the winter, and big reds work all year long.

But our diets change with the weather. Just as we look forward to watermelon and fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes in the summer, we crave soups, stews, and roasts in winter. So our go-to wines change, as well.

As the fall begins, I find that I’m craving a light red with virtually every dinner. Cru Beaujolais almost always does the trick, as its vibrant acidity and freshness offer a refreshing pairing for September dishes.

Both styles hail from Beaujolais, a region in France sandwiched between Burgundy and the northern Rhone, home to some of the world’s most prestigious vineyards. And both are produced with Gamay, a thin-skinned grape marked by bright red fruits that traces its lineage to Pinot Noir and an obscure white called Gouais Blanc.

But unlike Beaujolais Nouveau, Cru Beaujolais is serious; the wines can offer wonderful depth and complexity and age for decades. And right now, they’re extremely well priced.